US5154008A - Installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity - Google Patents

Installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity Download PDF

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Publication number
US5154008A
US5154008A US07/659,429 US65942991A US5154008A US 5154008 A US5154008 A US 5154008A US 65942991 A US65942991 A US 65942991A US 5154008 A US5154008 A US 5154008A
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United States
Prior art keywords
inner enclosure
enclosure
gas
installation according
products
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Expired - Fee Related
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US07/659,429
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English (en)
Inventor
Denis Chicot
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Assigned to COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE reassignment COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: DOMINIQUE, BRETHEAU, FRANCK, CHAPELET, JEAN-JACQUES, LAUPRETRE
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D88/00—Large containers
    • B65D88/74—Large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents
    • B65D88/745—Large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents blowing or injecting heating, cooling or other conditioning fluid inside the container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2588/00—Large container
    • B65D2588/74—Large container having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents
    • B65D2588/743—Large container having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents blowing or injecting heating, cooling or other conditioning fluid inside the container
    • B65D2588/746—Large container having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents blowing or injecting heating, cooling or other conditioning fluid inside the container with additional treatment function

Definitions

  • the invention has for its object a novel installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity.
  • the present invention thus has two principal fields of application: storage and transport.
  • the invention allows various storage installations to be produced, such as for example silos, stores, warehouses, etc. and transport installations such as for example large-dimensioned containers, bastard containers, crates, bags, cardboard boxes, packing cases, etc.
  • the products likely to be stored and/or transported, within the framework of the invention are, on the one hand, powdery or granular products, such as in particular foodstuffs such as cocoa, and, on the other hand, any object or equipment sensitive to heat and demanding a limited hygrometry.
  • the invention allows the transport of a very extensive range of goods between two countries whose local temperatures are very different.
  • the invention is based on the application of the following three principles:
  • the solution according to the invention consists in an installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, located in an environment of air or neutral gas undergoing movements of convection resulting in particular from variations in temperature, such as in particular foodstuffs such as cocoa, characterized in that it comprises:
  • a heat-insulated inner enclosure 1 which contains said products, having in its upper and lower parts at least one opening 2, 3 to allow air or a neutral surrounding gas to circulate through said inner enclosure 1;
  • the present invention thus makes it possible, for the first time, to master and order the physical phenomena of air/product equilibrium, avoiding the reductions in quality of the stored or transported product.
  • these treatment means comprise a heat exchanger.
  • the said heat exchanger is disposed on the path of circulation of the air or neutral gas, in the vicinity of the products, preferably in the lower part of said inner enclosure.
  • the said heat exchanger comprises an open cavity, preferably made inside the heat-insulated wall forming the bottom of the said inner enclosure, and opening out:
  • This cavity is advantageously disposed substantially vertically with respect to the upper opening of the inner enclosure, so as to create a shaft for the circulation of the air or neutral gas.
  • the said heat exchanger comprises in addition a removable partition for separation from the products contained in the inner enclosure, made for example in the form of a grate possibly connected to a plate disposed at the bottom of said inner enclosure.
  • This grate and this plate are advantageously made of a heat-conducting material thus producing a thermal bridge between the inner volume of the said cavity and the inner enclosure.
  • FIG. 1 is a view in principle in front section of an installation according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a partial view thereof in perspective with parts torn away, illustrating the part forming the heat exchanger of this installation.
  • the water content and the temperature of the product are generally homogeneous and the ambient air is rapidly placed in equilibrium with the product without significant variation in its water content, even if this air has a temperature and a hygrometry different from the conditions of equilibrium.
  • Alternations in humidity transfer for example following a daily cycle including a night-time minimum and a day-time maximum, respectively lower and higher than the humid temperature of the inner air (dew point) are tolerable and do not lead to loss of quality of the product.
  • This installation comprises an inner enclosure 1 adapted to contain the products to be transported and/or stored.
  • This enclosure 1 may be of any shape and dimensions and they will be chosen as a function of the shapes and dimensions of the products to be transported and/or stored.
  • the inner enclosure 1 is heat-insulated for example by means of insulating panels known per se, and comprises at least one opening in its upper and lower parts, allowing the circulation of air (or possibly of neutral gas) through the enclosure 1.
  • the enclosure 1 comprises an upper central opening 2 and a plurality of lower lateral openings 3 which will be described hereinafter.
  • This installation also comprises an outer enclosure 5 surrounding said inner enclosure 1 which, in the example shown, has a generally parallelepipedic form.
  • the outer enclosure 5 is heat-insulated except for at least one part, for example the low part "a" of its side walls.
  • the inner wall of the enclosure 5 is heat-insulated along its upper horizontal wall 6 and along the upper part 7 of its four vertical side walls.
  • Heat-insulation of the lower wall 8 of the enclosure 5 is ensured by the panel insulating the bottom of the inner enclosure 1 which rests on the bottom 8 of the outer enclosure 5.
  • the installation according to the invention comprises a heat exchanger which will be disposed on the path of circulation of the air or the neutral gas in movement, in the vicinity of the products, for example in the lower part of the inner enclosure 1.
  • this heat exchanger comprises an open cavity 9 opening out, on the one hand, in its upper part in the inner enclosure 1 and, on the other hand, via channels joining the openings 3, in the volume included between the inner (1) and outer (5) enclosures.
  • the cavity 9 may be made in the form of a gutter, for example parallelepipedic, extending longitudinally in the median part of the inner enclosure 1, and communicating via an assembly of channels 12 extending parallel and transversely to said gutter, with the space included between the inner (1) and outer (5) enclosures.
  • a gutter for example parallelepipedic, extending longitudinally in the median part of the inner enclosure 1, and communicating via an assembly of channels 12 extending parallel and transversely to said gutter, with the space included between the inner (1) and outer (5) enclosures.
  • the cavity 9 and the channels 12 will be made in the panel insulating the bottom of the inner enclosure 1.
  • the cavity 9 will preferably be disposed vertically, relatively to the opening 2, so as to create a "shaft" in which the air in movement will circulate.
  • This heat exchanger will comprise, in addition, a removable partition 10 for separating from the products contained in the inner enclosure 1.
  • This partition will for example be made in the form of a perforated plate forming grate possibly connected to a plate 13 forming floor on which rest the products to be transported and/or stored.
  • the cavity-grate-floor assembly thus constitutes the heat exchanger.
  • heat exchangers may be used in place of the one which has just been described.
  • an exchanger may be imagined, constituted by a tube traversing the floor and embedded in the mass of products to be transported and/or stored and of which the upper end is in the form of an upturned U, or any other type of exchanger.
  • Grates 14, 15 will advantageously be disposed at each end of the channels 12, of which the shape of the fins (shown schematically in FIG. 1) will enable the possible drops of condensation to be guided outwardly of the cavity 9 at the level of the orifice opening out in said cavity and outwardly at the level of the orifice opening out in the space included between the inner (1) and outer (5) enclosures.
  • the cavity 9 is accessible by its upper part and products which are absorbent and/or adsorbent and/or of such nature as to increase the thermal mass of the exchanger, may for example be introduced.
  • this inner air When the outside temperature is lower than the dew point of the inner air, this inner air, whilst descending along the non-insulated part, is saturated, releasing water by condensation on the cold wall of the outer enclosure 5. The water of condensation trickles along this wall and is collected in a condensate recovery zone 16 located at the bottom of the enclosure 5, between the lateral walls opposite the inner (1) and outer (5) enclosures.
  • the saturated, relatively cold air (for example 17° to 18° C.) enters the channels 12 via openings 3, then into cavity 9 which then acts as a heat exchanger since it is in direct vicinity of the mass of the products and consequently at the same relatively high temperature (27°/28° C.).
  • the air entering cavity 9 is heated (for example to a temperature of 23°/24° C.) and its relative humidity decreases to a value less than the relative humidity of air-product equilibrium (for example 65 to 70%).
  • the air then heats up in contact with the product (for example up to a temperature of 25° C.) whilst being laden with humidity (tendency to air-product equilibrium).
  • the air Having arrived in the upper part of the natural shaft formed in the vertical plane of symmetry of the inner enclosure 1, the air attains a temperature and relative humidity which are substantially equal to those of the product (for example a temperature of 25° to 26° C. and a relative humidity of about 75%).
  • the air having passed through the mass of products leaves through the upper opening 2 and moves in the free space located in the inner and outer enclosures; the natural convection movement represented in FIG. 1 by arrows, being promoted by the cooling of the air located near the cold partition.
  • the homogeneity and progressivity of the cooling and desicccation are obtained by the regulation of the heat transfers and of the humidity transfers.
  • the invention allows the transport and/or storage of a wide range of products. These products may be transported equally well in bags and in bulk, which makes it possible to benefit fully from the economical interest of the container.
  • the homogeneity and progressivity of the cooling and desiccation guarantee perfect conservation of the initial qualities and properties of the products.
  • the invention also covers a process for storing products affected by changes in temperature and/or humidity, such as in particular foodstuffs, for example cocoa, contained in devices in which said products are in an air or neutral gas environment undergoing movements of convection resulting in particular from variations in temperature, characterized in that there are provided:
  • a heat-insulated inner enclosure 1 adapted to contain said products and comprising in its upper and lower parts at least one opening 2, 3 allowing the circulation of air or of neutral gas through said enclosure;
  • an outer enclosure 5 surrounding said inner enclosure 1 and of which the inner wall is heat-insulated except for at least one part of its lateral walls, for example the lower part, and in that the air or neutral gas circulating through the products is treated so as to reduce the relative humidity of the air or neutral gas entering said inner enclosure, preferably to a value less than the relative humidity of the air-product equilibrium.
  • the present invention is based on a static heat exchange between a product contained in a partially or totally closed volume and the interstitial ambient gas (possibly air).
  • One of the originalities of the invention is that no mechanical means are used for controlling the temperature and/or hygrometric degree of a gas, but that a static heat exchanger is used.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Non-Silver Salt Photosensitive Materials And Non-Silver Salt Photography (AREA)
  • Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)
  • Storage Of Harvested Produce (AREA)
  • Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
US07/659,429 1988-09-22 1989-09-07 Installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity Expired - Fee Related US5154008A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8812400 1988-09-22
FR8812400A FR2636607B1 (fr) 1988-09-22 1988-09-22 Installation pour le transport et/ou le stockage de produits sensibles aux variations de temperature et d'humidite

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US5154008A true US5154008A (en) 1992-10-13

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US07/659,429 Expired - Fee Related US5154008A (en) 1988-09-22 1989-09-07 Installation for transporting and/or storing products sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US5154008A (fr)
EP (1) EP0435893B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE110341T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU4217389A (fr)
DE (1) DE68917735T2 (fr)
FR (1) FR2636607B1 (fr)
OA (1) OA09093A (fr)
WO (1) WO1990003321A1 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5335425A (en) * 1991-08-14 1994-08-09 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Dry-processing apparatus for heating and drying objects to be processed
US5416982A (en) * 1992-12-08 1995-05-23 Nishimura; Makoto Moisture sealing apparatus for powdery brazing flux
US20040159008A1 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-08-19 Harpenau Richard John Restriction detecting systems for clothes dryer exhaust systems
US8601716B2 (en) * 2003-07-30 2013-12-10 Bsh Bosch Und Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Method for operating a device with at least one partial programme step of drying
CN112061615A (zh) * 2020-11-12 2020-12-11 山东畜牧兽医职业学院 一种侧壁隔空透风式贮存糠料、颗粒料用料仓

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DK2443050T3 (en) * 2009-06-19 2015-08-31 Carrier Corp Temperature-controlled load container with air distribution

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE534165A (fr) *
DE1283739B (de) * 1965-02-01 1968-11-21 Grace W R & Co Behaelter zum Transport von gruenen Kaffeebohnen
FR2163344A1 (fr) * 1971-12-15 1973-07-27 Transatlantique Cie Gle
DE2947759A1 (de) * 1979-11-27 1981-06-04 Alexander 2067 Reinfeld Kückens Verfahren zur vorrichtung zum trocknen von schuettgut, insbesondere getreide

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE534165A (fr) *
DE1283739B (de) * 1965-02-01 1968-11-21 Grace W R & Co Behaelter zum Transport von gruenen Kaffeebohnen
FR2163344A1 (fr) * 1971-12-15 1973-07-27 Transatlantique Cie Gle
DE2947759A1 (de) * 1979-11-27 1981-06-04 Alexander 2067 Reinfeld Kückens Verfahren zur vorrichtung zum trocknen von schuettgut, insbesondere getreide

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5335425A (en) * 1991-08-14 1994-08-09 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Dry-processing apparatus for heating and drying objects to be processed
US5416982A (en) * 1992-12-08 1995-05-23 Nishimura; Makoto Moisture sealing apparatus for powdery brazing flux
US20040159008A1 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-08-19 Harpenau Richard John Restriction detecting systems for clothes dryer exhaust systems
US6785981B1 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-09-07 In-O-Vate Technologies Restriction detecting systems for clothes dryer exhaust systems
US8601716B2 (en) * 2003-07-30 2013-12-10 Bsh Bosch Und Siemens Hausgeraete Gmbh Method for operating a device with at least one partial programme step of drying
CN112061615A (zh) * 2020-11-12 2020-12-11 山东畜牧兽医职业学院 一种侧壁隔空透风式贮存糠料、颗粒料用料仓
CN112061615B (zh) * 2020-11-12 2021-01-26 山东畜牧兽医职业学院 一种侧壁隔空透风式贮存糠料、颗粒料用料仓

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1990003321A1 (fr) 1990-04-05
FR2636607A1 (fr) 1990-03-23
DE68917735T2 (de) 1994-12-22
FR2636607B1 (fr) 1991-07-05
AU4217389A (en) 1990-04-18
EP0435893B1 (fr) 1994-08-24
EP0435893A1 (fr) 1991-07-10
DE68917735D1 (de) 1994-09-29
ATE110341T1 (de) 1994-09-15
OA09093A (fr) 1991-10-31

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Owner name: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE 31-33 RUE DE LA

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